Alexander Zverev launched his 2025 Nitto ATP Finals campaign on Sunday night, defeating American debutant Ben Shelton 6-3, 7-6(6) in a high-quality encounter at the Inalpi Arena.
The two-time ATP Finals champion delivered a near-flawless serving performance, winning 81 percent of his first-serve points and not facing a single break point during the 93-minute contest.
Zverev’s composure and experience proved decisive as he withstood Shelton’s aggressive shot-making to seal his first victory in the Bjorn Borg Group.
Zverev, who lifted the prestigious season-ending trophy in 2018 and 2021, is seeking to become the eighth man in history to win the title three times. His triumph on Sunday also extended his unbeaten record against Shelton to 5-0 in their Lexus ATP Head2Head series.
“It’s never easy against Ben,” Zverev said after the match. “He’s unbelievably aggressive- probably one of the most aggressive players in the world. In the tie-break he started off amazing, but I felt like I controlled the things I could control. I’m super happy with that win.”
The German was rock solid from the start, breaking Shelton twice in the opening set to take it 6-3 in under half an hour. In the second, the 21-year-old American raised his level, saving two break points in the fourth game and forcing a tiebreak. Shelton surged ahead 6-3, earning three set points, but Zverev responded with trademark resilience- reeling off five consecutive points to close out the match in straight sets.
Zverev’s ability to exploit Shelton’s second serve proved a key factor, winning 76 percent (16/21) of those points. Despite flashes of brilliance from the American, including several highlight-reel passing shots, consistency on key points ultimately separated the two.
The win also marked a confident return for the World No. 3 after he sustained an ankle injury in his semi-final defeat to Jannik Sinner at the Rolex Paris Masters just eight days earlier.
In the same group, Italy’s Jannik Sinner will face Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime on Monday.
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Elsewhere, top seed Carlos Alcaraz began his ATP Finals campaign with a statement win, defeating Alex de Minaur 7-6(5), 6-2. The Spaniard, chasing his first season-ending crown, said he was determined to maintain his focus and motivation through the final stretch of the season.
“This tournament is one of the best we have on Tour,” Alcaraz said. “We’re playing against the best players in the world, and that motivates me to give everything this week.”
With the opening round of matches complete, the stage is set for an intriguing battle in Turin as the world’s best vie for one of the most prestigious titles in men’s tennis.
